Coronavirus pandemic in Vietnam: an effective response model

Abstract

ABSTRACT In late December 2019, the World Health Organisation declared that pneumonia of unknown aetiology broke out in China and then expanded to become a pandemic. Vietnam was predicted to be one of the hardest-hit countries of this pandemic. However, this country has written its own exceptional story with a low and contained infection rate and few deaths on its territory. This study seeks to highlight the global significance of the Vietnamese response model in the fight against COVID-19. The study suggests that the Vietnamese Government’s procedures, from central officials to grassroots cadre, have significance on three levels with comparative importance. First, attention is given to the use of tracking mechanisms enabled by medical surveillance and record systems. Then, the role of social media in educational epidemiology. Finally, we highlight the adjustment of Vietnamese social practices, behaviours, and cultural habituation, which were crucial in fighting the pandemic. These results of this study suggest an effective, low-cost model in combating pandemic which could be applied by other countries, despite a surprising, but sadly recurrent, the reluctance of international media to represent Vietnam fairly and impartially. The paper draws attention to the importance of Vietnam’s experience in tracking systems, health, and education, aiming to illustrate effective measures that have global significance and suggest opportunities for international implementation.